5 Networking Tips from a Marketing Perspective
For every professional, regardless of the industry, networking is a vital part of your professional development. As they say, “your network is your net worth,” but if you don’t have one, what does that say? When you network, not only will you make connections with people who can provide industry tips and advice, but you could also gain referrals and even new business. Here we offer five tips on how you can network effectively and productively from a marketing perspective.
For every professional, regardless of the industry, networking is a vital part of your professional development.
1) Create Your Message: This isn’t necessarily a sales pitch, but more of an introduction. You want to be able to clearly and concisely say what you do as a professional. Make it intriguing! Recently, I met someone who introduced himself by saying “I put people on the map.” This began an interesting and engaging conversation about what he does and how we can work together. I later found out he works for Google Maps.
2) Research: Like any good marketer, it’s important to understand your target market. In this case, the target market is the people you want to engage and network with. Proper research will also help you prepare what to wear and understand what type of event you are attending.
3) Be Genuine: Don’t be afraid to be yourself! If you’re a silly person, let this come out a little. Just remember that you are making a first impression, and you want it to be good. Just don’t make it a production, and remember to SMILE! A smile is much more inviting than a frown.
4) Converse: Networking is a conversation. Talking and listening go hand in hand when having a conversation. If you tend to be a rambler, remember the 30/70 rule. 30% of the conversation is you talking, and 70% of the conversation is you listening. This shows that you are sincerely interested in what people have to say.
5) Follow Up: Hopefully you managed to gather some contact information at the event. Rather than hoarding business cards, at the very least you should connect with people on LinkedIn. For those that you really want to learn more about, follow up via email or a quick phone call to set up a follow up meeting.
Often people find networking intimidating, but if you prepare ahead of time with these tips in mind, you’ll be fine! The bottom line is that networking is about people helping people. Think of ways you can help the people in your network, and the kindness will come back to you.
By: ParadigmNext https://paradigmnext.com.com
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+ParadigmNextChicago
ParadigmNEXT, Inc. is a digital agency headquartered in Chicagoland. We provide branding, identity, integrated marketing, social media strategy, art direction, web-design & development, startup incubation, commercial video production, product development, and commercial storefront development services to a wide array of clients ranging from bootstrapped startups to successful longstanding companies.